Tag Archives: perak tourism news 8

The stretch of Sungai Perak that flows past Sayong in Kuala Kangsar (KK) is a significant landmark of the royal town. Efforts are underway to make this spot a tourists haven. In the past, water sports and water-related activities such as boating, duck-catching, climbing the slippery poles and decorative boat race were held to mark the Sultan’s birthday.

One can cross over to Sayong from the town jetty. The boat ride, costing RM1, is an experience in itself.

One highly recommended item for visitors to Kuala Kangsar is watching the vast expanse of Sungai Perak from the Rest House. The spot offers a panoramic view of the slow-flowing river.

A trip to Kuala Kangsar is incomplete without tasting the town’s famous laksa. Make a date with Laksa Pak Ngah.

Sungai Sepetang is not in the same league as Sungai Perak or Sungai Kinta. It is not even at par with Sungai Kerian that separates Perak from Kedah up in the north. Its shortcoming is however negated by the presence of fireflies which make the berembang trees that line the riverbanks their natural habitat.

The fireflies of Kg Dew are a huge attraction drawing curious visitors from near and afar. Like they say, seeing is believing.

Tours can be arranged.

Call Khairul Salleh at 012-514 5023 or visit his blog at http://fireflyzone blogspot.com for details.

Teluk Intan Riverfront, located at the edge of Teluk Intan town fronting Sungai Perak, has long been the point of convergence for visitors in pursuit of a wholesome family outing. It is a well known site for anglers keen on sport fishing and shrimping.

The availability of boats to take anglers out in the river mouth attests to its popularity. These boats can be rented for a minimum of RM100 per person. The boatman, being a local, knows the river well and will take you to the right spot for fishing. You may able to land fish and prawns, some weighing in excess of 700 grams, on a good day. Sangkar dulang, a much-sought-after freshwater fish is found in that part of Sungai Perak. Catching one is well worth the effort.

One’s patience is tested to the limits in fishing. However, if you have none, the next best place to be is the nearby food court. Grilled fish and prawns, freshly caught from the river, are up for grabs. The food vendors can prepare some mouth-watering dishes in a jiffy.

If you are a bird lover (of the feathered kind) head for Bird Island. The island is a convenient stopover for migratory birds. The trees lining the islet are home for fireflies.

The stretch of Sungai Perak which flows past Pasir Salak is of historical significance, as it bears witness to the murder of Perak’s first British Resident, J.W.W. Birch on November 2, 1875. At the spot where Birch was murdered, is the Pasir Salak Historical Complex. The complex is a must see for visitors keen on knowing the origins of Malay nationalism.

The main attraction of the complex is the historical time tunnel where most of the important historical events of the Malays and Malaysia are exhibited through dioramas.

Other interesting sights include the burial site of Seputum, Maharajalela’s house; lela rentaka, a type of cannon used by the Malays; traditional Perak Malay houses called Rumah Kutai and handicraft stalls.

The scenic Sungai Perak and the activities it offers is another attraction.

Sungai Kinta is a major tributary of Sungai Perak. The confluence of Kinta River is located to the south of Kampung Gajah. Sungai Kinta, incidentally, played a pivotal role in the development of Kinta Valley. Tin mined in the interior was transported in boats and droughts to Teluk Intan for shipment to Penang and Singapore where the metal was smelted for exportation.

Its historical importance assured, the stretch of Sungai Kinta near Tanjung Tualang has long been noted for something more palatable – freshwater fish and prawns. The preponderance of seafood restaurants in Tanjung Tualang bears testimony to this statement. It is a fact that Tanjung Tualang has some of the best eateries in the country. The most remarkable dish being the succulent freshwater prawns cooked Chinese-style.

If you are a nature buff a brief stop at the Kinta Nature Park south of Batu Gajah is recommended. The park is a noted for bird watching, especially migratory birds that come as far away as Russia and Mongolia.

The 13th Perak MATTA Fair was held over three days at Stadium Indera Mulia, Ipoh recently. The objective was to introduce travel deals, both in Perak and overseas, to holiday-makers. The fair attracted an estimated 30,000 visitors with a sales turnover of over RM20 million.

Although a similar fair was held simultaneously in Kuala Lumpur, the Perak sale was for those in the north of Peninsular Malaysia. There were a total of 75 booths.

Haji Odzman Abd Kadir, President of Perak Tourist Association, who stood in for Dato’ Hamidah Osman, told vacation-seekers to opt for local holidays. It was a timely reminder, as the most sought-after countries by holiday-makers currently are China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Korea. Cambodia and Myanmar have seen an increase in demand.

At the same function, a book entitled “The Beruas Prophecy” by Iskandar Al-Bakri was launched.

MATTA Fair is held twice a year, in March and September. At this fair, those who purchase a fixed amount of holiday packages are eligible to participate in a lucky draw and stand to win attractive prizes.

Moh Singgah Tapah (Come and Visit Tapah) was one of the many programmes slated for Visit Perak Year 2012. The celebration went regional as part of a carefully crafted strategy to localise touristic events to districts and local councils.

Moh Singgah Tapah, incidentally, was the first to be organised by a district office. It was held over a period of three days from March 23 to 25. The 3-day festivity was aimed at exposing some of the more interesting sites in Tapah to visitors. Among them is Kuala Woh, a popular picnic spot, Latar Kijang Waterfall, Malaysia’s tallest waterfall, the Orang Asli settlements along the road to Cameron Highlands, Sungkai Deer Farm, Felda Sungkai Hot Spirngs and some of the more pleasant eateries in Tapah town, which have been a hit with travellers in the past.

The event went on as planned. An influx of tourists, mostly locals, was observed during the period of festivity. Records, however, are not available.

The first round of the Malaysian Rally Championship was held from March 2 to 4 at the Mini Sports Complex in Manjung. A total of 19 teams from New Zealand, Japan and Malaysia competed in the championship.

Perak was represented by two teams. They were edged on by the morning crowd. The teams competed in a 51.04 kilometre stretch of rough terrain.

Zambry in his opening remarks thanked the organisers for picking Perak to kick start the annual championship. “It’s an indication that VPY 2012 is recognised by even those in the sporting industry.” The Chief Minister promised to make Perak visitor-friendly by ensuring that cleanliness is kept at a high standard.

Side events such as street soccer, auto shows, lucky draws and colouring contests for children were also held to make the championship more appealing.

There are a total of five rounds in the championship. The remaining four rounds will be held in Perlis, Johor, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan, respectively, before the year comes to a close.

It was not a gathering of scouts but instead a gathering of mountain bikers who were there to do justice to their two-wheelers. Almost a thousand mountain-bike enthusiasts, from all over the country, made a beeline to Arena Square, Batu Gajah on Sunday, March 25 to participate in a 40-km off-and-on-road race to determine the fastest of them all.

The Batu Gajah MTB Jamboree 2012 was flagged off by Dato’Hamidah Osman, Executive Councillor for Tourism. The hardiest, man and machine, will come out on top.

Hafiz Rosli, 26, from Team Giant of Trengganu took top spot finishing the gruelling race in 1 hour and 35 minutes. Second placed Mohd Hafiszal Mahbob, 25, from Team Deter Cyclist of Klang crossed the finish line in 1 hour 50 minutes. Ipoh’s Zaid Hary Shah, 25, was placed third with a time of 1 hour 55 minutes.

Hamidah was pleased with the turn out. “It’s a good indicator that mountain bike racing is fast catching up with our youths,” she said in her opening speech. The race was organised by the Batu Gajah Town Council and inadvertently was incorporated into the Visit Perak 2012 programme.